For the first time in Brazilian history, the national census has shown that the majority of the population, 50.7% of a total 190,732,694 people, is black or mixed race. The 2010 census revealed that most of the black population is concentrated in the north and northeast of the country, and that it has the highest rate of illiteracy among the over-15 age group (between 24.7% and 27.1%).

Research has shown that there is still marked inequality in terms of income throughout the country, with the richest strata of society earning 42 times more than the poorest. Half of the Brazilian population lives on less than 375 reais per month [approximately USD $200], an amount less than the minimum wage (510 reais [approximately USD $275] at the time that the studies were carried out). Of the 16.2 million people living in extreme poverty (approximately 8.5% of the population), which is classified as having an income of 70 reais [approximately USD $38] per month or less, 70.8% are black.

In short, the average wages for black and mixed race Brazilians are 2.4 times lower than those earned by citizens of white and Far Eastern origin. In addition to this, they die younger as a result of difficult living conditions, violence and poor access to healthcare. Released on the eve of Black Awareness Day [en], these figures give rise to concerns about the situation of the Brazil's black population.

Photo by Jean Marconi, taken at Cavalcante (Goiás), published on Flickr with a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).

‘What colour are you?’
I asked what he meant, and he answered that I should respond by saying which colour I preferred to put down. When I said that I preferred blue, he changed the question.
‘What race are you?’
I answered that I was black. He looked me up and down, and then burst out, ‘But you’re white!’
Irritated, I replied, ‘Mate, I don’t blame you, but I’m going to explain something to you: I’m the grandson of a black woman, the son of a black woman, the brother of a black woman, and my great-uncle was so black that he was practically blue (the colour that I had said was my favourite), and now you’re telling me that I’m white?’

Mulling over the figures in a post to mark Black Awareness Day, Lari Carvalho talks about an increase in awareness, although not necessarily amongst the black population:

[…] In essence, the precise purpose of this day is to draw attention to the inclusion of black people in Brazilian society. This leads us to suppose that the black population still suffers from disadvantages when it comes to exercising their citizenship.

This is clearly the case. Unfortunately, this problem of race relations in Brazil, which has an impact on social identity and citizenship, is camouflaged by the myth of racial democracy – the belief that there is no social inequality based on ethnic or racial differences. In reality, however, the statistics show us that the opposite is true. It is hard to comprehend how the majority of the population is discriminated against due to their cultural background, or how the people who helped to build our country are still discriminated against on the basis of their skin colour. Isn’t Brazil a country for everyone? It certainly should be! The 2010 census showed that social inequality is still linked to skin colour. We urgently need to fight this state of affairs.

Photo by Jean Marconi, taken in Cavalcante (Goiás), published on Flickr with a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).

Clecyo considers the results of the census, racial prejudice and the living conditions of the black population in a long, thoughtful post, which begins and ends as follows:

On Black Awareness Day, I want to forget about the countless times that I have been judged on my skin colour. I want to forget that the study shows that 97% of Brazilians claim that they do not harbour any racial prejudice, yet 98% of the same interviewees say that they know other people who do. If only it were possible, I would like to be able to turn transparent, out of shame. […]

Today, on Black Awareness Day, I also really want to forget that of the 16 million Brazilians who are living in extreme poverty, on less than 70 reais a month, 4.2 million are white, while 11.5 million are mixed race or black. I also want to forget that white deaths are concentrated in old age, as a result of cancer, whereas more black Brazilians die as young people, especially men in the 15–29 age group, due to external causes such as accidents or violent death. I don’t want to remember that of the richest 10% of Brazilians, only 20% are black, while at the bottom of the social pyramid the poorest 10% of Brazilians comprise 73% of the country’s black people.

Photo by Jean Marconi, taken in Cavalcante (Goiás), published on Flickr with a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).

Researchers from the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) visited 67.5 million households in 5,565 towns from August to October last year. The very first Brazilian census was carried out in 1872, with the population classified in only two groups: free people and slaves. The latter group, comprising indigenous people and the descendents of African citizens, made up 15% of the population.

Black Awareness Day is celebrated on 20 November, a date chosen in honour of Zumbi dos Palmares [en], a symbol of black resistance and the struggle for freedom, who died on this day in 1695.

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[…] Brazil: Census “Reveals” Majority of Population is Black or Mixed …Nov 29, 2011 … For the first time in Brazilian history, the national census has shown that the majority of the population is black or mixed race. Released on the … […]

[…] through several changes spurred by economic, social and cultural transformations. In a country of several races [en], classes, beliefs and traditions, with a great portion of its population descending from […]

[…] today define themselves as black or mixed-race, according to the 2010 census as mentioned in an article by GlobalVoices. Black and mixed race Brazilians make up 70.8 percent of the 16.2 million people living in extreme […]